Fastener



Dec.. 22, 1931.

E. WHITNEY FASTENER Filed June 5, 1926 INV-ENTOR, iii/1&9)? 51/% zk /flfy' BY f? M 1 8 A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES \PATENT OFFICE ERNEST MI. WHITNEY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 HOOKLESS TENER COMPANY, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA Application filed June 5, 1926. Serial No. 113,918.

This invention relates to an improved construction of se arable fastener for releasably securing toget er the edges of garments and other articles and the object of this invention is to provide a pair of flexible strips or edge members on each of which a series of interlocking, fastening members is carried, said sets of interlocking members being arranged in staggered relation, each of the members being provided with an offset engaging end portion and an opening, the engaglng portions of one series being arranged to extend into the openings in the other series and the openings in the different series being arranged to be out of alignment with each other.

A further object of the invention is the provision of two sets of interlocking members. said sets being arranged in staggered 'relation and the members having offset connecting end portions and an opening, the offset portion of one set being arranged to extend through the openings in the other set.

The invention further consists in an improved construction of a fastener of this 1 character to provide a separable look at one end of the series of interlocking members to retain these members in engagement after having been connected by the slide and until again separated by an opening movement of the slide whereby different parts of the garm'ent connected by this fastener may be completely separated if desired.

The invention still further consists in the provision of means on one of these locking members to prevent the complete removal of the slide from one of the flexible strips even after the parts have been completely separated.

lrVith .theseand other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel featiires of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the ap ended claims.

n the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a portion of a pair of flexible edge strips on which is mount ed the interlocking members and showing the control slide member as partially broken away.

rAs'rnNER i Figure 2 is an enlarged pers ective View of one of the interlocking mem ers.

Figure 3 shows two series of these interlocking members as arranged to be interlocked or in the positions taken while in the act of being progressively connected together or separated from each other.

Figure 4 is a sectional end view on line 1 l4 of Figure 1 showing the plates of the slide as engaging the ends of the interlocking members to press them into engaged position.

Figure 5 shows the lock plates on the ends of the flexible strips as partially disconnected one from the other I Figure 6 shows these look plates as entirely separated from each other.

Figure 7 isa section on line 7-7 of Figure 1 showing the interengaging portions of the lock plates disengaged'from one another to facilitate illustration. I

Figure 8 is a section 011 line 88 of Figure 6, illustrating the stop pins for preventing the complete removal of the slide from its flexible strip.

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing a stop member adapted to be applied to the flexible strip at one end of each series of interlocking members to limit the closing movement of the slide.

Figure 10 is a modification illustrating two series of interlocking members of slightly different constructions in section.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a binding clamp for securing together the ends of the flexible edge strips when the separable lock is not used.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section through the parts of my separable end connection or lock plates on line 99 of Fig. 1.

It is found in the practical construction and operation of fastening devices of this character, of advantage to provide two series of by could in cup shape.

' advantage to provide a curved locking finger to extend into the opening of the Opposite locking member by a rolling engagement like the teethof a gear. Also, it isfound of advantage, in some cases, to be able to completely separate the ends of the flexible edge strips such as when the fastener is employed on tent flaps, automobile curtains, coats for personal wear and the like, by an opening movement of the slide member.

Then again, it is found of advantage toprovide ineans for preventing the complete removal of the operating slide member from one of the edges of the flexible material after it has completed its fastener releasing movements; and the following is a detailed description of the present embodiment of my invention and showing one means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished With reference to the drawings, 10 designates the pair of flexible edge strips which may be of fabric. leather or other suitable material on each of which a series of interlock-- ing fastening members '11 is mounted.

These interlocking members one of which is best illustrated in Figure 2, is provided with a body portion 12 having parallel side faces extending a portion of its length and disposed transversely to the length of the strip 10 with a central opening 13 there-v through for the reception of the flexible strip, the same being split as at 14 at its outer end to be separated and then closed over this strip to facilitate engagement therewith, the for wardly extending portion 15 of this interlocking member beinga little narrower than the body portion and reducedin lateral dimension from one to the other of its parallel faces I and is provided with an opening 16 through it, the end ofthis reduced portion is provided with an offset locking finger 17 herein shown. as being curved on the arc of a, circle downwardly therefrom.

These members are connected in spaced relation along each of the opposite flexible edge strips 10 the members of each series being arranged in staggered relation with each other, whereby when drawn together the fingers 17 of the different series are caused to enter and extend through the openings 16 of the opposite series to lock the two series together.

In order to manipulate these interlocking membersan operating slide member 18 is' provided which is formed of two spaced plates 19 and 20 connected to straddle these two series of interlocking members. I

Between these plates at one end thereof is a V-shaped cam member 21 through'which they are connected together by the rivet 9. The edges of these plates are turned inwardly as at 22 to engage the shoulders 23 at the out r jecting lugs 24 to extend through the space between these plate flanges 22 to assist in guiding these members operating position while being the operating slide.

This operating slide member 18 has channel portions preferably in -Y-shape which cooperate with the V-shape cam 21 to separate and guide the interlocking members when this acted upon,.by

operating slide is moved in one direction and to force them rogressively together when moved in the ot er direction.

In some instances, I secure a stop member 25 at one end of each series. This stop member is adapted to. be clinched onto each of the flexible strips and is provided with laterallyextending lugs 26 which limit the closing movement of the operating slide member by engaging the end of its plate.

It is found in practice particularly where this separable fastener is applied to such articles as tent flaps, automobile curtains, coats for personal wear and other uses, where it 1s desired that the members or edge strips be entirely separated one from the other, of advantage to provide a se arable lock member 32 at one end of the strlps and to form this member in two parts so that these parts may be operated either to be completely separated or connected together by action of the operating slide 18 and to this end I have provided such a lock one form of which is herein illustrated. The connecting part shown at the .left in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive comprises a pair of plates 33 placed on opposite sides of and riveted securelyto the tape stringer 10 and a second set of plates 43 preferably of less width than the plates 33 and extending about half the length thereof, positioned on opposite sides thereof near the edge of the stringer and riveted through the other plates and stringer 10; The plates 33 are cut away at the front edge leaving a socket 30 between the plates 43 for receiving a projecting portion 29 of the other connecting part. Another pair of smallplates 45 are attached in line with the plates 44 and the projecting part of the plates 33 at the lower end are notched to provide a hook-like portion 27 to engage and hold a correspondingly shaped part on the other member.

The other'connecting part comprises also a pair of flat plates 33a which project beyond and holding them 1n.

The iipper edge of one of these lock plates is. provided with an'en'd socket 34; which is engaged by the finger of the lowermost in-v terlocking member on the opposite strip.

plates into-locked position and in which position theyvwi'll be retained and lock the adjacent end of the series of interlocking members together and hold the sameagainst separation until again released by an opening movement of the operating slide.

I have herein shown one form of locking plate for locking together the flexible ed e strips at one end of. the series of interloc ing members, but anysuitableform of lock for this purpose which .is adapted to be opened and closed by the operating slide, will fall within the spirit and scope of this invention.

By the use of my improved construction of fastener the interlocking members may be rolled into and out of engagement like. the teeth of a gear, with the minimum amount of friction, also the engaging portion of these interlocking members are arranged to extend completely through openings in the opposite members'wherein theyare adapted to force any foreign matterwhichmay have accumulated there n out and so prevent clogging of the same. Also, by my improved construction and shape of interlocking member, the closing action of the operating slide operates upon the body portion of each of these members and not upon that portion extending beyond-the edge strips, thereby preventing any tipping, cramping, or upsetting action of these members upon their flexible strips upon which they are mounted.

In some instances where the separable lock-32 is not employed, .1 may permanently secure the ends of the strips lOtogether by the clamp 35 which has two pairs of jaws 36 adapted to be opened to receive the strips and then closed to firmlyagrip and secure the same together.- I

My improved fasteneris very simple-and practical in construction-and is effective" in its operation and by its use shoes, garments and other articles or devices may bequickly connected and as" quickly separated without.

the use of buttons or other fasteners.

The foregoingdescription is directed sole ly towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting toail the mechanivcal changes to which the device is susceptible, the inventior'ibeing defined and limited only by the terms of fhcappended claims. Iclaim:

' 1.- A fastening foriapair of flexible strips,

comprising aseries of memb ers on each of said strips, each havingra body ,with a hole 1 comprisin 1 therethrough, an oifset finger extending in an inclined direction from the body, said members intermeshing in interlocking relav tionwiththe fingers on each seriesof memstaggered relation, each of said members having an'opening and an offset end portion 'bent up from the body of the member on thearc of a circle towards the next of said members and spaced along the longitudinal axes of the members, the offset portions of each set being arranged to extend into the openings in the other set, the openings in the different sets being out of alignment with each other.

3. A separable fastener comprising a pair of flexible strips, each carrying aset of sheet metal interlocking members, said members each havin an extending finger and an open- -1ng out o ali fingers of eaci set extending through the ment with each other, the

' bers extending entirely through the holes in' '6 openings in members of the opposite set, an

operating slide on said members, a two-part look at one end of the series having opposite ,parts connected to opposite strips, said parts being-separable by said slide after separatingthe members and one of said parts having a stop to prevent disengagement of the slide therefrom and means on one of said parts :adapted to interengage with one of said interlocking members.

.4. A fastening for a pair of flexible strips, a series of sheet metal members on each 0 said strips, each having a hole therethrough and an ofi'set finger extending therefrom, said members intermeshing in interlocking relation, with the fingers on each series of members extending into the holes on the other series of members, a two-part separable lock at one end of the series one portion having an opening in its edge with the finger of the end member on the strip opposite that carryin said part extending into said openingyand a slide for separating said members and said lock. I '5. In a multiple operated fastener, apair of stringers having cooperating interlocking members on their adjacent edges, a slider nels of said slider to be spread apart thereby, 'one of said connecting :members having a plurality of spaced notches .inoneof its longitudinal edges arranged'to snugly receive portions of the other connecting member to prevent longitudinal separat on of the stringers in both directions and to so position said corresponding ends as to start the interfitting of the interlocking members in the proper order, and stop means carried by one connecting member for retaining said slider on the correspondingstringer when the interlocking members are disengaged, the

other interlocking member and its stringer being freely movable through said slider to effect complete separation of the stringers.

6. A separable fastener comprising a pair of stringers having opposed series of interlocking members. a. slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said members, and separable connecting members adjacent the ends of said stringers having parts engaging each other transversely of the stringers to prevent longitudinal separation when engaged and parts pivota lly engaging each other to permit said connecting members to be separated at an angle.

7. A separable fastener comprising a pair of stringers having opposed series of interlocking members, a slider having diverging channels movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said members, separable connecting members adjacent the ends of said stringers insertable into the channels of said slider andhaving parts engaging each other transversely of the stringers to prevent longitudinal separation when engaged and parts pivotally engaging each other to permit said connecting members to be separated at an angle, and means on one of said connecting members to stop said slider so that only the other connecting member can be drawn completely through said slider.

8. A fastening having a pair of flexible strips comprising a series of members on each of said strips, each of said members comprising a flat rectangularly shaped body having jaws at one end for attaching the same to the strip, a recess formed in the bod adjacent said jaws, and an interlocking finger on the other end beyond said recess formed by bending the end of said flat body at an angle less than 90 out of the plane of the body, said finger being adapted to engage in one of the recesses of a cooperating member on the other series.

9. A separable fastener comprising a pair of flexible strips, a, series of fastening members on each of said strips, each of said members on one strip having a projection and recess offset along the longitudinal axes of the members a substantial distance from one locking members, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disenga e said members, separable connecting mem ers adjacent the ends of said stringers having parts with engaging surfaces extending transversely of the stringers to prevent relative longitudinal movement when engaged,-said members hav-' of stringers having opposed series of inter-- locking members, a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said members, separable connecting members adjacent the ends of said stringers having parts with engaging surfaces extending transversely of the stringers to prevent relative longitudinal movement when engaged, said members having also pivotally engaging surfaces to permit said members to be moved at an angle to each other and separated by a longitudinal movement of one of said members, means forming a socket on oneof said connecting members, and a guide lug on the other of said connecting members adapted to fit into said socket when the parts are engaged and prevent relative transverse movement between the parts.

12. In a slide fastener. a pair of stringers having opposed series of interlocking members. a slider movable along said stringers to engage and disengage said members, said slider having diverging channels meeting in a single channel through which the interlocking members pass during movement of the slider, and separable connecting members at one end of said stringers, one of said members having a laterally opening recess in its longitudinal edge and the other of said members having a projection in its longitudinal edge adapted to pass laterally into said recess for preventing longitudinal movement between said members, and cooperating means on said members below said projection and recess to form a pivot for said members about which they turn in passing in and out of the slider, said projection and recess being disengaged when said connecting members are so turned, whereby one stringer may be removed endwise through the slider to disconnect said members.

13. In a slide fastener. a. pair of stringers having opposed seriesof interlocking members, a slider movable along saidstringers to engage and disengage said members, said slider having diverging channels meeting in a single channel through which the interlocking members pass during movement of the slider. and separable connecting members at one end of said stringers, one of said members having a laterally open recess in its longitudinal edge and the other of said members having a projection on its longltudmal edge adapted to pass laterall into said recess for preventin longitudina movement between said members, and another socket on one of said members and a second projection to fit said socket on the other of said members, said socket and second projection being below said recess and first projection, to provide a pivot about which said members turn in passing in and out of the slider, said socket and second projection also serving to prevent lateral disengagement of said members'when Eroj ection beers pass into the slider to allow endwise removal of one connected, sald recess and first mg disengaged when said mem of said connecting members through the stringer completely to disconnect the same from the other stringer.

14. In a slide fastener,-a pair of stringers havingopposed series of interlocking members, a slidervmovable along said stringers to' engage and disengage said members, said slider having diverging channels meeting in a single channel through which the interlocking members pass during movement of the slider, and separable end connecting members at adjacent ends of said stringers of such thickness as to pass together into said single channel and be pivotally separated by said diverging channels, said members having each a cooperating recess and projection for preventing longitudinal movement and sep 

